Means for introducing a detergent into washing machines



Sept. 21, 1965 P. DANNENMANN 3,207,373

MEANS FOR INTRODUCING A DETERGENT INTO WASHING MACHINES Filed June 11, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. PAUL DANNEN MANN ATTO RN EYS Sept. 21, 1965 P. DANNENMANN 3,207,373

MEANS FOR INTRODUCING A DETERGENT INTO WASHING MACHINES Filed June 11, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR- PAUL DANN EN MAN N Maw 72% ATTO R NEYS United States Patent MEANS FOR INTRODUCING A DETERGENT INTO WASHING MACHINES Paul Dannenmann, Welzheim, Germany, assignor to G. Bauknecht G.m.b.H., Stuttgart, Germany Filed June 11, 1963, Ser. No. 286,967

Claims priority, application Germany, Dec. 18, 1962,

Claims. (Cl. 222-70) This invention relates to a device in washing machines for introducing a liquid detergent into the washing liquid during the course of the washing or rinsing operations.

It is known to add a certain quantity of a detergent to the washing liquid in dishwashing machines at predetermined portions of the operational cycle thereof. Moreover, detergent feeding devices are known, in dishwashing machines, which are filled, before the beginning of the washing process, with the quantity of detergent necessary for but one washing operation, the detergent being emptied into the washing liquid at a suitable moment during the washing process. It is to be understood that the term detergent, as used herein, is intended to encompass all types of liquids or their mixtures that may be used in dishwashing machines as an additive to the washing or rinsing liquids.

The known devices have to be filled with a certain quantity of washing additive before every washing operation, thus requiring additional manipulations whenever such a dishwashing machine is operated.

It is an object of the invention to avoid the above mentioned disadvantage by an arrangement in which a container for receiving the liquid detergent is provided in the dishwashing machine, this container having an outlet which opens into the interior of the dishwashing machine, and which can be opened and closed by a cover or plug actuated by a suitable control or programming system.

According to the invention the container may be filled with a relative large quantity of detergent, and, at a suitable moment in the course of the operation, it adds or feeds a predetermined quantity of detergent to the washing liquid contained in the dishwashing machine. The detergent feeding action is effected in dependence upon the system controlling the washing or rinsing operation as a whole. By means of this, preferably electrical, regulating or control system, an electro-magnet connected to the feeding device is connected to a voltage source,

so that the armature of the electro-magnet, by way of an appropriate mechanical transmission member, such as an angle lever or a rod, opens the cover or plug of the outlet opening of the detergent container for a predetermined period of time, thus enabling a suitable quantity of detergent to flow out of the container into the machine. The operation of the electro-magnet may be so controlled that the addition of the detergent is made when the washing liquid reaches a predetermined temperature.

The detergent container may be mounted fixedly at any convenient place, preferably in the upper portion of the dishwashing machine. In this construction the replenishing or filling opening of the container may be so arranged as to be easily accessible from outside, to facilitate refilling. Advantageously this filling opening may be arranged in the region of the door of the dishwashing machine, so that it is covered externally by the door when closed, the entrance of impurities into the washing-agent container thus being avoided to a great extent.

It is also possible to mount the detergent container in the interior of the dishwashing machine, in such a way as to be easily removable when the door of the ma chine is open, so that it may be taken out and filled outside the machine. The container may for instance be clamped in a known manner in a resilient device, or suspended from suitable hooks.

The outlet opening of the container may be closed by a cover or plug of resilient rubber, this cover being pressed against the outlet opening by a spring by means of an angle lever, a rod or the like. For opening the cover, an electro-magnet may be provided, acting against the closing spring and overcoming the force of this spring when opening the cover.

In the case of another arrangement of the actuating mechanism, the plug cover of the detergent container may be directly opened by a rotary cam disc by manual switching or by mechanical transmission linkage.

Instead of the refillable detergent container for the washing agent, a replaceable case may also be provided, containing the detergent and having an outlet opening that can be opened and closed in the manner described above. After being emptied, such a case could simply be replaced by another full case.

The accompanying drawings show some embodiments of the invention, wherein:

FIGURE 1 shows a dishwashing machine in side elevation, the casing of the machine being partly broken away to show the arrangement of the preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 shows on an enlarged scale the detergent feeder device shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a front view of a dishwashing machine with the casing partially broken away showing another embodiment of the device according to the invention arranged in this dishwashing machine; and

FIGURE 4 shows a plan view of another embodiment of the device, having a mechanical control.

In particular, FIGURE 1 shows a dishwashing machine 1 in side elevation. Within the dishwashing machine 1 there is provided a dish-carrier rack 2, accessible through a front door 3, for receiving the dishes to be washed (not shown). In the upper part of the machine, shown broken away, a detergent feeding device 4 according to the invention is illustrated. The control of the device 4 is effected electrically by a switching system 5.

FIGURE 2 shows the feeding device 4 on a larger scale. This feeding device 4 consists of a detergent container 6, the filling or replenishing opening 7 of which is covered by the door 3 when the machine is closed. An angle lever 10 is, to a sufficient extent, pivotally supported in a rubber insert 12 which is supported in an interior wall 12a of the machine. The detergent discharge opening 8 of the container 6 is closed by a cover or plug 9, pressed against the outlet opening 8 by a spring 11, by way of the angle lever 10. When the electro-magnet 13 is energized, its armature 14 presses against the angle lever 10 by Way of a push rod 15, and overcomes the force of the spring 11, so that the cover 9 opens the outlet opening 8.

FIGURE 3 shows a dishwashing machine 16 in front view. The lefthand side of the dishwashing machine 16 is broken away, thus showing a dish-carrier rack 17 arranged within the machine. At the lefthand side wall of the dishwashing machine 16 a detergent container 18, formed as a replaceable case, is removably arranged in a mounting 19. The downwardly directed outlet opening 20 of the detergent container 18 is closed by a cover or plug portion 21 pressed upwards by a spring 23 by way of a push rod 22.

The spring 23 at its one end bears against the push rod 22 and at its other end may bear against any stationary part or component of the machine. By means of an electro-magnet 24 adapted to pull the rod 22 downward,

' device of the invention.

the force of the spring 23 can be overcome, so that the cover or plug portion 21 opens the outlet opening 20. The energizing of the magnet 24 is efiected by means of a manual switch 25 which may be of any desired type, or by being switched automatically by the programming device (not shown) of the washing machine.

FIGURE 4 shows another embodiment of a device according to the invention for feeding a detergent into a washing machine. The outlet opening 26 of a detergent container 27 is closed by an angle lever 28, somewhat similar to the arrangement in FIG. 2. A spring 29 biases the angle lever 28 against the outlet opening 26 to plug the same during the inactive periods of the feeder A cam 30 is mounted on the rotary shaft of a switching device 31, the cam being followed by a follower push rod 32. The spring 29, besides pressing the plugging end of the angle lever 28 against the outlet opening 26, also serves to bias the follower push-rod 32 against the cam 30. Actuation of the mechanism may be accomplished either manually by means of an actuator knob 33, through the switching device 31,

or by other means of mechanical linkage (not shown) with the program controlling device of the dishwasher. For the purposes of this latter arrangement, the switching device 31 may be regarded as part of the program controlling device of the machine.

While particular embodiments of the invention were disclosed by the foregoing specification, especially with regard to dishwashing machines, it is to be understood that the invention can be used on other types of machines, and therefore, the full scope of the invention is to be interpreted from the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A washing machine and liquid detergent dispenser combination comprising a washing machine having a washing chamber, detergent container including an outlet opening for releasing a liquid detergent within the container directly into the washing chamber, movable plug means of elastic material for selectively plugging and unplugging the outlet opening, a spring urging said plug means into a plugging position against the outlet opening, an electro-magnet mounted upon said machine, exterior of said washing chamber, said electro-magnet having an armature connected to said plug means, whereby upon the energization of said electro-magnet the resulting movement of said armature removes the plug means from its plugging position against the bias of said spring for a predermined period of time during the washing cycle to permit a proportional amount of liquid detergent to be dispensed into said washing chamber, said plug means, spring, and electro-magnet all being situated at the exterior of said detergent container.

2. A washing machine and liquid detergent dispenser combination according to claim 1 wherein said container is removably mounted upon said machine so that when empty it may be readily replaced by a similar filled container.

3. A washing machine and liquid detergent dispenser combination according to claim 1 wherein said plug means includes arm means extending through an aperture in a wall portion of said washing chamber, and resilient means for sealing said arm means in said aperture.

4. A washing machine and liquid detergent dispenser combination comprising a washing machine having a washing chamber and an access door hinged upon a wall portion of said washing machine to permit loading of articles to be washed into said chamber, a detergent container mounted upon an exterior wall of said washing chamber, said container including an outlet opening for releasing a liquid detergent directly into said washing nhamber, an L-shaped member extending through a wall of said chamber, a resilient insert gripping an intermediate portion of said L-shaped member for pivotally securing said member to said chamber wall, one end of said L- shaped member including plug means of resilient material for closing said container outlet opening, spring means for normally urging said plug means against said outlet opening, electro-magnet means mounted upon said machine, exterior of said Washing chamber, said electromagnet means having an armature connected to a portion of said L-shaped member, whereby upon the energization of said electro-magnet means the resultant movement of said armature pivots said L-shaped member about said resilient insert to remove said plug means from said container outlet opening for a predetermined period of time to permit a proportional amount of liquid detergent to be dispensed into said washing chamber.

5. A washing machine and liquid detergent dispenser combination according to claim 4 wherein said container includes a filling opening located adjacent an interior portion of said access door so that said filling opening is rendered accessible when said door is in an open position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,126,365 8/38 Alexopoulos.

2,254,269 9/41 Clark et al.

2,468,584 4/49 Wotring.

2,698,022 12/54 Fahnoe 68-17 X 2,838,208 6/58 Levit 222504 X 2,861,581 11/58 Ryckman 13493 X 2,872,076 2/59 Bloom 22270 2,911,901 11/59 Totten et a1. 222504 X 3,013,568 12/61 Getchell et al.

LOUIS .T. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Examiner. 

1. A WASHING MACHINE AND LIQUID DETERGENT DISPENSER COMBINATION COMPRISING A WASHING MACHINE HAVING A WASHING CHAMBER, DETERGENT CONTAINER INCLUDING AN OUTLET OPENING FOR RELEASING A LIQUID DETERGENT WITHIN THE CONTAINER DIRECTLY INTO THE WASHING CHAMBER, MOVABLE PLUG MEANS OF ELASTIC MATERIAL FOR SELECTIVELY PLUGGING AND UNPLUGGING THE OUTLET OPENING, A SPRING URGING SAID PLUG MEANS INTO A PLUGGING POSITION AGAINST THE OUTLET OPENING, AN ELECTRO-MAGNET MOUNTED UPON SAID MACHINE, EXTERIOR OF SAID WASHING CHAMBER, SAID ELECTRO-MAGNET HAVING AN ARMATURE CONNECTED TO SAID PLUG MEANS, WHEREBY UPON THE ENERGIZATION OF SAID ELECTRO-MAGNET THE RESULTING MOVEMENTS OF SAID ARMATURE REMOVES THE PLUG MEANS FROM ITS PLUGGING POSITION AGAINST THE BIAS OF SAID SPRING FOR A PREDETERMINED PERIOD OF TIME DURING THE WASHING CYCLE TO PERMIT A PROPORTIONAL AMOUNT OF LIQUID DETERGENT TO BE DISPENSED INTO SAID WASHING CHAMBER, SAID PLUG MEANS, SPRING, AND ELECTRO-MAGNET ALL BEING SITUATED AT THE EXTERIOR OF SAID DETERGENT CONTAINER. 